## RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS ON THE DISPATCH OF GRAIN FROM TSARITSYN TO BAKU. MAY 22, 1918

## PROJECT RESOLUTION OF THE PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE OF MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGIUM OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF AGRICULTURE AND V. I. LENIN
[May 3, 1918]

The preliminary conference (on questions raised by comrades Spiridonova and Karelin¹) of members of the collegium of agriculture, comrades Sereda and Meshcheryakov, and Lenin, has come to the conclusion that the questions raised must be examined as serious political questions, and therefore are subject unconditionally to transmission to the Central Committee of the RCP.

The conference considers it necessary to transmit them to the Central Committee urgently and with dispatch.

¹ The Left Socialist-Revolutionaries M. A. Spiridonova and V. A. Karelin proposed transferring the leadership of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture entirely into the hands of the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries while retaining for the Bolsheviks only political representation. At a session of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) on May 3, 1918, the claims of the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries were rejected. See also on this question the "Project Declaration to the Central Committee of the Party" (Lenin Collection XXI, p. 147).

## NOTE TO G. V. CHICHERIN ON A DRAFT TELEGRAM TO THE COMMANDER OF THE NAVAL FORCES OF THE BLACK SEA FLEET
May 16, 1918

To the Commander of the Naval Forces of the Black Sea Fleet, Sablin:

According to reports from Sukhum, the troops of the Transcaucasian government, located twenty versts from Sukhum and supported by a flotilla of armed merchant vessels, are advancing on Sukhum, threatening the entire Black Sea coast. We order you to immediately arm a number of our merchant vessels and, under the guise of protecting our commercial cargo, move southward for the defense of Sukhum.

**To Chicherin:**

In my view, the Brest Treaty cannot forbid us to struggle against mutineers and pirates (armed merchant vessels), and we must find a form to provide armed resistance with our naval forces against the mutineers.

Lenin

¹ G. V. Chicherin — People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs.

## RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS ON THE DISPATCH OF GRAIN FROM TSARITSYN TO BAKU
MAY 22, 1918

**Resolution**

Dispatch immediately by water from Tsaritsyn to Baku ten thousand (10,000) poods of grain at the disposal of the Baku Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, on the condition that first and foremost the matter of exporting oil in the greatest quantity is unconditionally secured.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Manager of the Affairs of the Council of People's Commissars

Vlad. Bonch-Bruevich

Secretary of the Council N. Gorbunov

Printed from the original,
signed by V. I. Lenin

## LETTER FROM A. A. JOFFE AND V. R. MENZHINSKY¹

Comrades Joffe and Menzhinsky

24/V. 1918

Dear comrades! I have received your pessimistic and angry letters (received the one from 20.V today, 24.V). Part of your accusations directed against Chicherin fall upon me. For example, I insisted on sending theses on concessions through the Germans in order to show them how seriously we want business-like economic relations. (The theses were worked out unanimously with the participation of Radek and other "left"-fools.) The conditions of our concessions are such that nothing but profit for us will result if the Germans accept these conditions.

Your policy, particularly as detailed in comrade Joffe's letters, I fully approve.

Dissatisfaction with Chicherin, in my opinion, is exaggerated on your part. But in any case I am willing to help you and ask you to direct efforts toward **practical** methods to improve the matter. For this I would propose formulating concrete proposals precisely (send me copies of telegrams and letters, in the part strictly **practical** and brief, because I absolutely have no time to read everything). Then I promise to strive for fulfillment and check whether it has been fulfilled.

How to shift the **greater** center of gravity to Berlin (I agree to help this), on this you must think and propose very **tactful** (N.B.) and concretely-**practical** measures for this. Any possible measures I will take and shall strive to carry out.

If it is possible to help obtain peace with Finland, Ukraine, and Turkey (that is the crux), one must always do everything for this (of course, without certain new annexations and levies this cannot be obtained). For the acceleration of such a peace I would give much.

Do not get nervous either. Correcting (and creating a new) diplomacy is a difficult matter. Festina lente*.

Best regards.

Your Lenin

**P. S.**

28/V. Late for the courier.

Chicherin passed to me the text of the note which Joffe sent on his own behalf to the German government, agreeing to the surrender of the Black Sea Fleet vessels (i.e., their withdrawal from Novorossiysk to Sevastopol)² on the condition only of peace with Ukraine. Meanwhile our government in a clear note (communicated by radio and to Joffe) recognized as possible to agree to the withdrawal of vessels to Sevastopol on **other** conditions, namely: 1) peace on all **three** fronts, that is both with Ukraine and with Finland and with Turkey; 2) no annexation of Sevastopol.

How could Joffe make such an error? How could he "give away" so much? How was it possible at all to send a note on such an important question on his own behalf without consulting, without understanding......

**N.B.** Send Arbeiterpolitik**, the Stuttgart "Social-Democrat" and similar publications, all of them, **completely**, 5-10 copies each.

Have you begun anything to publish legally in German? What exactly? What is the plan of publication and when does it begin?

Regards! Lenin

¹ A. A. Joffe — in 1918 envoy of the RSFSR in Germany.
V. R. Menzhinsky — in 1918 General Consul of the RSFSR in Berlin.

* — Make haste slowly.
** — "Workers' Politics."